Rudder-position indicator



vC. DOVIKEN.

RUDDER POSITION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION EILED MAR. 9, 1920.

PatentedJune 29, 1920.

INVENTOR M iii/4110mm PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DOVIKEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RUDDER-POSITION INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29; 1920.

Application filed March 9. 1920. Serial No. 364,559.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES DoviKEN, a subject of the Kingdom of Norway,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, haveinvented a new, useful, and Improved Rudder-Position Indicator, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rudder indicators for boats andvessels, whereby the position of the rudder may be readily and easilydetermined at any time and at any distance from the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicientrudder-position indicator. The same comprises a fluid chamber, asuitable gage .or distant indicating means connected with said chamberby a pipe, and mechanical means connected with the rudder for varyingthe capacity of the chamber. The gage is of any appropriate characteroperated by or displaying Variations in fluid pressure or displacement.The fluid chamber is preferably a cylinder and piston, and themechanical means for varying its capacity preferably comprises aneccentric on the stock of the rudder, with an eccentric strap andeccentric rod connected to the piston; but equivalent devices andarrangements may be substituted. The relation of the mechanicalconnections to the rudder is such that turning of the rudder from oneextreme position to the other, starboard to port, or vice-versa,produces unidirectional action upon the fluid chamber, that is to say,the action is not reversed when the rudder passes central position.Consequently, the eccentric or other device for converting rotary intorectilinear motion is set at an angle to the rudder such as to cause itto act wholly at one side of dead center.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification in which it is understood that the drawing is merelyillustrative of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof:

Figure 1 is a plan view with parts broken away and sectioned; and

Fig. 2'is a diagrammatic view.

The numeral 1 designates the rudder of a vessel 2, and 3 therudder-stock. 4 is an eccentric sheave on the stock, 5 an eccentricstrap, and 6 an eccentric rod. The last is connected to the piston 7 ofa cylinder 8. In the latter and in a pipe 9 leading to a gage 10 is helda body of fluid, liquid or aeriform.

The cylinder is attached by a bracketll to a suitable support 19. in thevicinity of the rudder stock, and the gage is located where desired, thepipe 9 being of appropriate length and disposition. The gage will begraduated in terms of rudder positions, and, as will be understood, theintervals between graduations may be non-uniform to correspond to theunequal amounts of rectilinear movement produced by equal amounts ofrotary movement.

The working arm of the eccentric is at an angle to the rudder, so thatit acts at one side of dead center only as the rudder swings between itsextreme positions. Thus in Fig. 1, the marks a Z) represent the arc ofmovement. Thus, all movement of the rudder from starboard to port causesmovement of the piston in one direction, while all move ment of therudder in the opposite sense produces reverse movement of the piston.The variations in pressure or displacement of the fluid are transmittedto the gage and there produce movement of a needle or are made visiblein a glass.

Vhile the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself strictly tothe mechanical details herein illust ated and described, since obviouslythe same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit ofmy inven tion as herein claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A rudder-position indicator comprising a fluid chamber, a gage, apipe connection from the fluid chamber to the gage, and a mechanicalconnection between the fluid chamber and the rudder, the relation ofsaid connection to the rudder being such that turning of the rudder fromeither extreme position to the other produces unidirectional action uponthe fluid chamber.

2. A rudder-position indicator comprising the combination of a fluidchamber, a gage, a pipe leading from the fluid chamber to the gage, aneccentric connected with the rudder stock, and an eccentric rod betweenthe cocentric and the fluid chamber, the relation of the eccentric tothe rudder stock being such that turning of the rudder from eitherextreme position to the other produces unidirectional action upon thefluid chamber.

3. A rudder-position indicator, compris ing the combination of a fluidchamber, a gage, registration conveying means for connecting saidcylinder with the gage, a rudder stock connected with an eccentric andan e0 centric rod between the eccentric and fluid piston cylinder, therelation of the eccentric to the rudder-stock being such that thevarying turn of the rudder produces unidirectionai action upon the fluidcontained Within the piston cylinder.

4. A rudde1'position indicator, comprie ing the combination of a fluidchamber, a gage, a pipe leading from and into the fluid chamber to thegage, and an eccentric connected With the rudder-stock and so related toand connected therewith as to produce upon the turning of the rudderunidirectional actionupon the fluid chamber by means of an eccentric rodbetween the eccentric and the fluid chamber.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at the city, countyand State of New York, this 6th day of March, 1920.

CHARLES DOVIKEN.

Vitnesses Josnrrr M. HERZBERG, VIc'roR C. CORMIER.

